The Monday Memo from John Stanko

866: Go and . . . Learn

I thought I would be finished with this "God and . . ." series, but I found a few more examples of Jesus telling people to go and do something specific, so that means the series will continue at least another month. Who knows, I may find some additional examples after that. This week, we look at what Jesus said in response to criticism that He was spending way too much time with sinners and tax gatherers:

When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners" (Matthew 9:11-12, emphasis added).

Jesus was telling men who had made the study of God's word the work of their adult lives to go and meditate on a verse from Hosea because they did not really know what it meant. That should provide a warning to us as well who believe we are adherents to God's word and who have more resources available to study and understand God's word than any generation in history. Let's look more closely at our need to go and learn more.

THE MORE YOU KNOW

When I teach classes on preaching, I give my students this advice: "Whenever you approach a passage of Scripture, no matter how much you have studied it, no matter how much you think you know, you must approach it as if you know nothing at all."' Why do I teach this? I do so because when we are confident we see everything there is to see about a truth or a passage, we stop looking for more. We are confident, sometimes even smug, that we know all there is to know about it.

Jesus was talking to men who had memorized the verse He referenced. That had discussed and debated it, and had added much to their collective commentary about its implications for their lives as they served the Lord. They were so sure of their knowledge that they could not see how what Jesus was doing with sinners was in any way related to that verse from Hosea 6:6: "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings."

Jesus told the Pharisees that they had not "arrived," but were still students in need of study and enlightenment. They knew the Bible but they were missing out on what God was doing through Jesus public ministry. He is saying the same thing to us today.

GO AND LEARN

• If you think you know it all about who you are or what God wants you to do, you need to go and learn more.
• If you think you know all there is to know about another person and their capabilities, you need to go and learn more.
• If you think you know all there is to know about a Bible story or passage you have studied regularly and taught on repeatedly, you need to go and learn more.
• If you think there is no need for you to learn new skills or gain new knowledge, that you can rely on what you have done in the past, you need to go and learn more.
• If you think you know the mind of God on politics, justice, mercy, theology, religion, or any other topic, you need to go and learn more.
• If you think you can comment on social media with absolute certainty about any matter in order to correct or lecture someone else to turn them from the error of their ways, you need to go and learn more.

Learning is not something we do for a certain period of life; it is a lifelong pursuit. We are always in need of more wisdom and knowledge so we can be more effective for Him and less dependent on our past, our position, our title, or even our insight. This is why I went back to school when I was 57 years of age. This is why I listen to and read as many books as possible. This is why I listen when people give me feedback. I want to "go and learn," and that is my motto until I die or run out of strength.

Jesus told those who thought they "owned" God that they needed to go and meditate on one verse to find out what it meant. I know I need to do that when I write, preach, or teach. I invite you to join me so that together we can continue to grow and develop to be the masters of our purpose, effective for Him while always striving for more and better. Have a blessed week.

******

AUTHOR'S RECEPTION: As you know, I have started a publishing company called Urban Press. I am hosting a reception for all our Urban Press authors on Saturday, September 8, from 3 to 5 PM in Pittsburgh where I live. I am inviting anyone who wants to publish and be an author to come and meet the UP authors. If you are interested in coming to learn more about publishing your creative work, write me at [email protected] and I will forward you the necessary information.

KENYA TRIP: I am sponsoring a tour to Kenya from February 14-24, 2019. The flier, FAQ sheet, and application are below. Study it and then take the step to go! This trip is shorter, less expensive, and more focused than any of my trips in the past. Come benefit from my experience that will provide a trip you will never forget.

Download KenyaFAQ2019

Download KenyaFlierNew

Download 2019KenyaApp

 

865: Go and . . . Do Likewise

We continue with our "God and . . ." series this week, this time looking at the story of the Good Samaritan, one of Jesus' well-known parables. Jesus told this story in response to a question from an expert in the Law about the Old Testament command to "love your neighbor as yourself." The lawyer wanted to engage Jesus in a debate about who his neighbor was, but Jesus would have none of it. At the end of the story, Jesus asked the expert this question and concluded with this command:

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise" (Luke 10-36-37).

Let's look at what we can learn from the lesson of this parable that we can use in our own lives.

OVER-SPIRITUAL

I have watched people over the years over-spiritualize Jesus' command to "go and do likewise," and have done it myself. We are waiting on the Lord to lead and guide us to do good deeds, not wanting to get ahead of the Lord or step out of His will. It is humorous for me to picture the Lord saying to someone, "Who told you to help all those orphans? I wanted you to help 10 but you have helped 100! How dare you!? I wanted those other 90 to suffer and maybe even starve. Now I am angry!" Or "Who told you to visit the sick in the hospital or minister to those elderly people? I am the boss around here, and I didn't tell you to go. Now I am really upset!"

Both of those fictitious scenarios are ludicrous, but that is how we have acted at times, so afraid of getting ahead of the Lord, so fearful of doing the wrong thing that we do no thing. I heard a pastor one time say that the need is the call. What did he mean? He meant that if you see a situation that needs your help, you should not pray about it or delay. You should meet the need, and that may mean a significant investment of time and energy.

Still, you may be wondering, "But if I see the need, where is the Lord in all that? How do I know it's His will to be involved?" Good question; let's try to answer.

NOT EVERYONE SEES

When you see a need, you assume it is so clear that everyone must certainly see it, that if they don't do something about it, then they are callous or negligent. That may be true, but in most cases, the others cannot see what you see because it's not part of their purpose. When you go and see the children suffering or an organization's dysfunction, it's because you are viewing those situations through the eyes of your gift and purpose. When you see it, it's so you will get involved and educate others as to the need. Even if they aren't stirred to action, however, doesn't mean that you are exempt from doing something. You have seen it and now you must do something about it. The need you see then becomes all the call you require - and all the call you are going to get.

Where are you to "go and do likewise" by having mercy on those in need? Is it in your country or outside its borders? Is it in conjunction with another organization or are you start your own organization? Is it something other people understand and support, or are you to pioneer the work and lead the way for others to be involved? Is it a one-time need or something that you must do again and again for a few or many?

Jesus was purposely vague in answering the expert, not giving him the specifics of who was his neighbor so there would be no rules to follow, no easy answer to the lawyer's question. The answer for you isn't simple either, and requires that you be looking for a reason to act, not for a reason for inaction. Don't worry so much about getting ahead of the Lord and stop waiting for God to direct your every move. Armed with your go-and-do-likewise attitude, find those who need your help and then do the good deeds you were created to do. Have a blessed week.

*****

KENYA TRIP 2019: I have released the dates and information for my tour to Kenya for February 14-24, 2019. I already got my first two applications and I think there will be a big group going for what will be a wonderful trip. I am attaching all the information you will need below for you to download. Read it over and then consider joining me and my friends for a trip you have always dreamed of making. The time is now; don't let fear rob you of your opportunity.

Download KenyaFAQ2019

Download KenyaFlierNew

Download 2019KenyaApp

864: Go and . . . Make Preparations

This is the seventh in my series titled "God and . . .", which focuses on the times when Jesus told someone to go and do something (you can catch up on the others on my Memo site). This week, let's focus on the account of how the disciples prepared for what we know to be the Last Supper, but for them was the traditional Passover feast. This was to be celebrated as a family, but most of the disciples' families were up north in Galilee and they were with Jesus in Jerusalem. I wonder how their absence affected their families? Were they upset? Angry? Understanding? Resentful? That, however, is not our concern, for we want to look at how they made preparations for what they thought was a traditional meal, but in reality turned out to be so much more.

THE PREPARATIONS

Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.” “Where do you want us to prepare for it?” they asked. He replied, “As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, and say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ He will show you a large room upstairs, all furnished. Make preparations there.” They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover (Luke 22:7-13).

The disciples had prepared many Passover meals in the past, so this one was no different, except that they had to find a venue to eat it, for they were all away from home. Jesus gave them some rather unusual instructions that would enable them to find a place. First, they were to look for a man carrying a water jar, which was highly unusual, for carrying water was women's work. Then they were to follow the man and ask the owner of the home where he entered for permission to hold their celebration there.

Naturally, it all unfolded just as Jesus had instructed them. I have always said that God is a great administrator, always able to organize whatever it is He wants to do. The disciples had no idea this upper room even existed until they needed one, and then Jesus was able to direct them out of their need to the exact spot that they needed. God will do the same for you, for there are untold resources out there of which you are unaware. Your role is to listen and then obey, seeing that your need is creating a deeper need - reliance on God for the provision that will help you fulfill God's purpose for your life.

THE REAL LESSON

The more important lesson in the story is the unexpected outcome of what the disciples considered a traditional gathering. This was to be like no other Passover meal since the first one in Egypt, for at this meal, Jesus inaugurated a rite that we call communion, the Lord's table, or the Eucharist that has been performed countless times for the last 2,000 years.

The disciples' obedience to Jesus' unusual directives required faith and mindful obedience, but was not their most important role in the story. Their presence at the dinner enabled them to observe and hear what Jesus did and said, and they went forth from that room and did what He said to do: Do what they had just done in remembrance of Him and His upcoming sacrifice. They thought they were going to a Passover meal, of which they were familiar, but instead were part of a new practice that would impact the entire world.

That is the kind of expectation we must have as we follow and obey the Lord. We don't know the significance of our missions trips we take, poems we write, businesses we start, or relationships we honor. We may think we understand what we are doing, but there may be much more than what we think. Therefore, we must make the most of every opportunity, not assuming we understand the significance of what we are about to do, especially if we have done it many times before.

I have been to Kenya more than 100 times, but this last trip I just completed was special. I probably had the greatest impact I have ever had in my two weeks there, and I am planning another three trips back in the next nine months. I prepared for the trip, but something was different and unusual, and it took my breath away. That is what happens when you prepare and trust the Lord, for He is "able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us" (Ephesians 3:20).

I urge you to continue to work and prepare for the unexpected with hope that the next time you do something, even if you have done it many times before, you may be on the verge of something that will change the world - and if not the world, then at least your world. Have a blessed week!

863: Go and . . . Throw Out Your Line

Greetings from Kenya! I have been here for 10 days, and return home this coming week. I am adding many new readers this week, so if you are new, we are well along in a series entitled "Go and . . ." that focuses on the times in the gospels when Jesus told people to go and do something specific. You can read all the past entries here, but for now, let's look at this week's story based on the account in Matthew 17:24-27:

After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” “Yes, he does,” he replied. When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?” “From others,” Peter answered. “Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. “But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

THE BACKGROUND

In Moses’ time, each person over the age of 20 was to give an annual half-shekel offering (the equivalent of two Roman drachmas) for the support of the tabernacle (see Exodus 30:11-16). This practice was obviously still being observed in Jesus' day some 1,500 years later to maintain the temple. When the tax collectors asked Peter if Jesus paid the tax, he impetuously responded in the affirmative. When he next met Jesus, the Lord raised the issue with Peter, indicating that He was royalty and did not have to pay the tax, which was a veiled reference to Jesus' position as King of Israel.

Peter had made a commitment, however, and Jesus cooperated with Peter's promise to pay the tax. He then told Peter to throw out his fishing line and to examine the first fish he found, which would have the coin for the tax for both of them in its mouth. The story does not indicate that Peter did this, but the assumption certainly is that Peter found it just as Jesus had promised.

This story follows immediately after Jesus had predicted His death and resurrection, not long after His transfiguration and close to the time when Peter had his "get behind me Satan" encounter with Jesus in Matthew 16. This story is a simple but clear confirmation that Jesus knew what He was talking about! If He could predict that a fish caught on the first try would have money in its mouth and be accurate, then He was accurate in everything He said.

THE LESSONS

There is another aspect to the story and it is Jesus' cooperation with and tolerance of Peter's less-than-perfect behavior. Peter made a rash statement, and Jesus did not overrule His disciple's commitment to pay. Instead, Jesus agreed to pay on behalf of them both to cover Peter's mistake. I take great comfort from this story, for I too have made many mis-steps in my pursuit of purpose. I would like to believe that some of those mistakes were honest in that I made the best decision with the information I had while desiring to do the will of God. In response to my imperfection, Jesus did not abandon me. He did not revoke my purpose or chastise my efforts.

God is not nearly as short-tempered as we have sometimes made Him out to be. He is not as concerned about us "getting ahead of Him" or "missing Him" as we sometimes are. That reality should free us, not to be rash and cavalier about what we do, but to move forward with our ideas and creativity in an attempt to bear fruit for Him. For example, I cannot say that the Lord "told" me to write any of my books. I had ideas, I wrote, and now I am helping others write. There have been times when I threw out a line and found the provision I needed, just in the nick of time.

Can you imagine the impact it had on Peter when he went down and caught that fish? What a sense of joy and wonder He must have experienced? What a sense of relief that He had the money to do what He had promised to do. Our faith commitments, when realized, are always the most exhilarating experiences in our walk with the Lord and become our most meaningful testimonies. I urge you to trust the Lord and step out to do God's will, no longer afraid that you are overstepping your bounds, but are functioning in partnership with your Lord who is for you, not against you, despite your imperfections. Have a blessed week!